Welcome to "The coolest Dodge Magnum Forum on the Net!"

oldyellr · #1 05-14-2016, 05:23 PM

Hello Magnum owners!

I'm looking to buy a Magnum to replace my 1992 Volvo 740 wagon I bought 8 years ago. I bought the Volvo with 472,000 klicks on it and it now has 510,000 klicks, so you can see I don't drive a lot anymore, since I'm retired. I've always done my own maintenance and don't enjoy crawling under vehicles anymore and the Volvo has way too many things that need fixing I've been neglecting. The Volvo has been pretty reliable and now I'm looking for a new station wagon and since the industry went to "jacked up station wagons" (SUVs) the Magnum is the only candidate. I previously owned a '94 Taurus wagon and was quite pleased with it, but it was a terrible rust bucket and literally fell apart siting in the driveway, the springs even broke. I don't for a moment expect a Magnum to be as solid and reliable as a Volvo, but I'm hoping by getting something newer I'll have something that lasts at least 10 years before becoming a burden. Any tips are welcome, such as what's the most reliable and trouble-free, the 2.7 or 3.5 six or the Hemi?

jkelly16 · #2 05-15-2016, 04:09 PM

Welcome to the Z from NC! Glad you joined, enjoy the site!

FORKLIFT352 · #3 06-24-2016, 06:37 PM

I would roll with a SXT...But if you dont need preformance...SE is fine.
Since you dont drive much you can pick up an SE for cheap...however I would do all maintenance...sparkplug, oil change, transmission service, ect. Doing that I dont see a reason it wont last a very long time.

oldyellr · #4 06-24-2016, 09:03 PM

I would even go with the 5.7 Hemi. Wouldn't that be more reliable?

oldyellr · #5 07-12-2016, 09:41 PM

Well, I bought a 2005 SXT with 106K miles on it, leather seats, alloy wheels. I really was hoping to find a Hemi for cheap due to its simplicity and long life, but settled for the 3.5 liter six. Not crazy about 24 valves or the limited lifetime rubber timing belt. I wasn't going to spend another penny on the old Volvo which now has a serious power steering leak. so I bit the bullet.

NOTPAID4 · #6 07-12-2016, 11:34 PM

Having six magnums, only one is a six, and a 3.5L. I would only buy a hemi from here on out due to several reasons, 1, the 3.5L requires 89 octane same as the hemi, 2, the hemis we have get better mileage than the 3.5L. 3 our 3.5L came with the four speed trans and we had to have it rebuilt at 17,100 miles. 4 the hemis hold their value way better than any V6's. These are just MY opinions though. We have 1 SRT magnum, 4 RT's with a hemi and 1 with the 3.5L v6, HOWEVER it does run good.

RobSmith · #7 04-24-2017, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldyellr

Well, I bought a 2005 SXT with 106K miles on it, leather seats, alloy wheels. I really was hoping to find a Hemi for cheap due to its simplicity and long life, but settled for the 3.5 liter six. Not crazy about 24 valves or the limited lifetime rubber timing belt. I wasn't going to spend another penny on the old Volvo which now has a serious power steering leak. so I bit the bullet.

Hey OldYellr,

I too had an old Volvo S/W for my beater car. It was a V40 and I called it the Hooptie. Not a bad car, but after buying it for a coupe grand, the heater core blew the next winter ($1,200 - because it's BURIED in the dash), had to replace both halfshafts due to old CV joints ($700), needed new suspension and tires (over $2k). ANd I never DID fix the damn oil leak! (Cam bearing seal)

So, since the hooptie was my 2nd car, I just sold it - and started driving just my "good" car.

Well, now I find myself in need of another hooptie, and it looks like a Magnum would do the trick.

How are you liking yours now? Any fix-it issues? I'm thinking about the a V6, if a Hemi is too hard to find. Is there at least as much power in the 2.7 Magnum as in my old turbo 1.9? Is the 3.5 significantly better?

Glad to hear input from all you other Magnum guys as well. I don't want to spend over $3k, and I know KBB is clost to $2k on a fair-good condition '05 Magnum. What do you think my chances are?

Thanks guys, Cheers.

oldyellr · #8 04-24-2017, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobSmith

Hey OldYellr,

I too had an old Volvo S/W for my beater car. It was a V40

How are you liking yours now? Any fix-it issues? I'm thinking about the a V6, if a Hemi is too hard to find. Is there at least as much power in the 2.7 Magnum as in my old turbo 1.9? Is the 3.5 significantly better?

My Volvo was an older, simpler 740 and I probably could have got everything fixed on it for less than I paid for the Magnum. I still miss it.

I know a lot more about Magnums now than I did when I bough mine, but I'm quite happy with the 3.5. The first big expense was getting the timing belt, tensioner and water pump replaced because it was due. Other than that, no issues. I would not have got the 2.7 because they don't come with alloy wheels and I think the engine would be a bit underpowered for such a heavy car.

67F100 · #9 02-03-2019, 04:49 AM

I traded my ford truck for a 133k mile 2007 SXT with 3.5 V6. He is gonna put a water pump in. Do I need the timing belt and tensioner. Anything else while he's installing the water pump?

oldyellr · #10 02-03-2019, 09:54 AM

The timing belt and tensioner needs to be replaced at about 100k miles. The water pump is replaced at the same time while in there. If it needs a water pump at 133k, then it does not look like any of that was done on schedule. He should know that and do the whole job.